Method of applying labels



Patented May 8, 1934 PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF APPLYING LABELS JamesEdward Snyder, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to Du Pont Cellophane Company,Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. ApplicationJune 20, 1931, Serial No; 545,835

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the securing of gummed materials to variousarticles. More particularly, it relates to a method of affixing gummedlabels and the like to waterproof and, preferably also, moistureproofmaterials.

In my copending application Ser. No. 473,755, filed August 7, 1930,which issued on July 21, 1931, as Patent No. 1,815,365, there isdescribed a method of afiixing gummed materials to articles to whichwater-soluble adhesives do not normally stick. That method contemplatesthe application to, at least, the gummed material or the article towhich the gummed material is to be united, of a solution which rendersthe gum on the gummed material tacky and modifies the surface of thearticle so that upon superimposition the two will be united. In thepreferred form of that method the uniting of the gummed material andarticle is effected under heat and pressure. The solution comprises asubstance which is adapted to Y render the gum on the gummed materialtacky and a substance which modifies the surface of the article so thatupon superimposition the gummed material and article may be readilyunited.

I have found that, when the article to which the water-soluble adhesivedoes not attach itself consists of a coating formed on a base to whichenergized water-soluble adhesives normally stick, I can upon applicationof heat sufficiently rupture the coating to permit contact of the basewith water-soluble adhesives, such as, for instance, those which areprovided on gummed materials, whereby securing or afiixing of the latterto the article may be readily and expeditiously effected.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method whichcomprises energizing the water-soluble adhesive on a gummed materialwith water, rupturing with heat the coating on a base to which awater-soluble material normally sticks and fastening or securing the twomaterials together.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the followingdescription and appended claims.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, an articlecomprising a base to which an energized water-soluble adhesive normallysticks and provided with a coating which normal- 1y does not stick tovan energized water-soluble adhesive is treated in such a manner that thecoating is ruptured and the adhesive contacts with said base, wherebythe gummed material may be secured or afixed to the article.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the coating of thearticle is ruptured by means of heat and, if desired, in conjunctionwith pressure.

The base of the article, as explained above, should be of suchcomposition that a water-soluble adhesive energized and renderedtacky-by water satisfactorily adheres and sticks thereto. The base maybe of such porosity that the applied heat will force a part of thecoating into the 65 pores thereof, whereby an insufficient amount of thecoating will remain on the surface to prevent adhesion. As illustrativeexamples of preferred bases may be mentioned pellicular or membranoussheets of gelatin and regenerated cellulose, and illustrative examplesof thinly coated, porous bases are various types of lacquered paper not,however, including impregnated paper such as waxed paper.

The coating on the base comprises a composition to which a water-solubleadhesive does not stick. It is apparent that the coating may be formedof numerous and different compositions depending to a great extent onthe final use of the coated product. As specific illustrative exam- 30ples of this large class of coated articles may be mentioned waterproofand moistureproof articles. For example, in a waterproof article thecoating may comprise, for instance, a cellulose derivative, such as acellulose ester or ether, either alone or 55 in combination withsuitable modifying ingredients. In a moistureproof article, the coatingmay consist of a composition which contains a waxy substance andpreferably a minor portion there- The moistureproofing composition, inone modification, may comprise a cellulose derivative a gum or resin, awaxy substance with or without a plasticizer. In another form, themoistureproofing composition comprises a drying oil and a wax with orwithout a resin, while in a third form it comprises a synthetic resinand a wax with or without a plasticizer.

As illustrative examples of the gummed materials which may be aflixedthere may be mentioned labels, closures, instruction sheets, paper, tagsattached to a string or ribbon, or the like.

In order to more clearly explain the present invention there is setforth an illustrative embodiment of one form of the process wherein agummed label is aflixed to a wrapper.

After an article has been wrapped in, for example, a moistureproofpellicular or membranous material, such as a sheet or film ofregenerated" cellulose moistureproofed with one of the moistureproofingcompositions previously described, 11

water alone is applied in any suitable manner to the gum on the label orto the portion of the wrapper where it is desired to aflix the label, orboth. The water energizes the gum on the label whereby it becomes tackybut is normally inert with respect to the coating of the moistureproofmaterial. The label is then superposed on the desired area of thewrapper and sufficient heat is applied in any convenient manner torupture the coating, whereby the energized adhesive may contact with thesheet or film of regenerated cellulose. Upon the application of pressurethe label is afiixed. It is, of course, apparent that the coating may beruptured prior to the superimposition of the gummed material.

In the preferred form, the adhesive on the label is energized with waterand then superposed on the wrapper, after which the materials are unitedwith heat and pressure.

The procedure above outlined is particularly suitable for applying agummed label to the ends of a package wherein the wrapper of the typeherein described is formed with end folds. In such a case, either theends of the package or the adhesive on the gummed label, or both, aretreated with water and the label superposed on the ends ofthe package.Heat is then ap plied, preferably in the presence of pressure, wherebythe label is afiixed to the package. The pressure serves tosatisfactorily and compactly iron down the folds, and the heat in manyinstances heat seals them.

Precise temperature and pressure conditions are not essential for thesuccessful carrying out of the method. The temperature need be of such adegree that it ruptures the coating, dissipates the water and/or rendersthe surfaces of the fold so that they are capable of being heat sealed.The pressure need be only of such magnitude as will bring the label,wrapper and/or surfaces of the fold in intimate contact with each other.

From the preceding it is apparent that the method constituting thisinvention is simple and economical. It utilizes water, which iscomparatively inexpensive, and does not require any expensive orelaborate apparatus. It is readily adaptable to the present day labelingmachines without the necessity of reconstructing or redesigning thereof.No precautions are necessary to maintain the water of uniformcomposition as is necessary when volatile solvents are used. It isodorless, non-toxic and can be very easily removed from the parts of themachine on or with which it may fall or contact without any greateffort.

It is apparent that the principles of the instant invention are notrestricted and limited to the precise material hereinbefore specificallydescribed. For instance, an ungummed label may be afiixed to articles ofthe class hereinbefore mentioned by applying an energized watersolubleadhesive to at least the gummed material or the article to which thegummed material is to be united and then securing them together by heatand pressure as previously described. Similarly moistureproof articlesof the type described may be sealed or united to similar or non-similararticles by applying an energized water-soluble adhesive to at least oneof the surfaces which is to constitute the joint and then applying heatand pressure as previously explained.

Since it is obvious that various changes may be made in the specificdetails herein set forth without departing from the spirit of theinvention, this invention is not restricted thereto except as set forthin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method which comprises energizing the adhesive of a gummed materialwith water, disposing the tacky surface of said material on an articlehaving a coating which is insensible to the energized adhesive and abase which sticks to said energized adhesive, applying heat and pressureto rupture said coating whereby the base contacts with the energizedadhesive and the article and gummed material are united.

2. A method which comprises energizing the adhesive of a gummed materialwith water, disposing the tacky surface of said material on a pellicleof regenerated cellulose having a coating which is insensible to theenergized adhesive, applying heat and pressure whereby the coating isruptured and the regenerated cellulose contacts with the energizedadhesive and the gummed material and the regenerated cellulose articleare united.

3. A method which comprises energizing the adhesive of a gummed materialwith water, disposing the tacky surface of said material on a pellicleof regenerated cellulose having a moistureproof coating which isinsensible to the energized adhesive, applying heat and pressure wherebythe moistureproof coating is ruptured and the regenerated cellulosecontacts with the energized adhesive and the gummed material and theregenerated cellulose article are united.

4. A method which comprises energizing the adhesive of a gummed materialwith water, disposing the tacky surface of said material on a pellicleof gelatin having a coating which is insensible to the energizedadhesive, applying heat and pressure whereby the coating is ruptured andthe gelatin contacts with the energized adhesive and the gummed materialand the gelatin article are united.

5. A method which comprises energizing the adhesive of a gummed materialwith water, disposing the tacky surface of said material on a pellicleof gelatin having a moistureproof coating which is insensible to theenergized adhesive, applying heat and pressure whereby the moistureproofcoating is ruptured and the gelatin contacts with the energized adhesiveand the gummed material and the gelatin article are united.

6. A method of aflixing a label to an article having a base which sticksto energized watersensitive adhesives and a coating which does not stickto such adhesives, which comprises applying an adhesiveenergized withwater to at least the label or the article, superposing the label and 40article and applying heat and pressure, whereby the coating is rupturedand the label is aflixed to the article.

JAMES EDWARD SNYDER.

